“Mr President, Wake Up and Smell the Blood”, Urges DA’s Dr Meyer at Black Monday Event

DA Federal Chairperson and Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ivan Meyer, today urged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to “wake up and smell the blood of farmers across South Africa”. Speaking outside Parliament in Cape Town, at a Black Monday event (held on Sunday so people didn’t have to miss work), Dr Meyer said it is not just the attacks, but the “brutality of these crimes”. Below is a transcript of his full speech, in English and Afrikaans.

We are here today #ForTheLoveOfAgriculture.

We are here today #ForTheLoveOfFarmers.

We are here today in solidarity with our farmers, farmworkers – black and white, their children, and their families.

Farmers and farmworkers live in fear in South Africa.

We are here today at Parliament because the President and MPs deny that farmers and farmworkers are attacked and murdered.

Mr. President, wake up and smell the blood of farmers across South Africa.

Mr. President, our hearts are bleeding for our farmers across South Africa.

Mr. President, I have been to the scenes of farm attacks. Mr. President, it is not only attacks, it is the brutality of these crimes.

Mr. President these farmers are honest, hardworking men and women, and all they ask are STOP Farm murders now.

Mr. President, our farmers and farmworkers are the food basket of South Africa.

Mr. President, are you aware that South Africa’s agriculture is exporting 50% of our agri-products on the African continent.

A farm murder in South Africa directly impact the food security and political stability of the African continent.

As the Chairperson of the African Union, you should condemn farm murders in South Africa to protect food security on the African continent.

Mr. President, these farmers are your key to economic recovery in South Africa.

Without these farmers, there is no economic recovery.

https://twitter.com/mynameisjerm/status/1320359811058405376

Afrikaans version of Dr Meyer’s Black Monday speech (as supplied by the DA):

Mnr die President, hierdie boere is die kosmandjie van Suid Afrika.

Ons vra dus

Stop plaasmoorde in Suid-Afrika;
Verklaar plaasmoorde as haatspraak in Suid-Afrika;
Verklaar plaasaanvalle en plaasmoorde as prioriteitsmisdade in Suid-Afrika;
Bemagtig SAPS in landelike gebiede met meer toerusting en hulpbronne om hul werk meer effektief te done;
Stel ‘n hofmoniteringseenheid (die sogenaamde Watching Briefs) in om plaasaanvalle effektief te monitor in kriminele regstelsel;
Ondersteun plaasbuurtwagte met hulpbronne, toerusting en elektroniese kameras om misdaad te voorkom;
Die boere vra vir belastingskorting op alle veiligheidsuitgawes wat hulle op hulle plase aanbring.
Mnr die President, boere, plaaswerkers, wit en swart, staan vandag hier voor die Parlement, en vra u as die hoof van die regering in die Republiek Suid-Afrika, kom ons stop plaasmoorde.

Dit kan nie langer so aangaan nie.

Een moord is een te veel.

Ons harte is seer vandag, want die mense wat kos op ons tafel plaas word wreedaardig in Suid-Afrika vermoor.

Suid-Afrika kom ons staan saam ons boere, plaaswerkers en hulle families.

Vir ons boere, alle boere regoor Suid-Afrika, aan die in die Vrystaat, Noordwes en Noord-Kaap wat brandstigting ervaar het, kom ons haal ons hoede af en handhaaf ‘n minuut van stilte.

Hier in die Wes-Kaap is ons boere ons landbouers en plaaswerkers ons strategiese vennoot.

In die Wes-Kaap dra landbou 11% by tot die ekonomie van die Wes-Kaap en daarom gaan ek nie plaasaanvalle en moorde duld in die Wes-Kaap nie.

‘n Aanval op ‘n boer en plaaswerker is ‘n aanval op die ekonomie van die Wes-Kaap en dit gaan ek nie toelaat nie.

Ek sluit af, Vandag, Ek salueer alle boere, landbouers en plaaswerkers regoor Suid-Afrika.

Ons boodskap is eenvoudig: Mnr die President, kry ‘n ruggraat en stop plaasmoorde in Suid-Afrika

Speech by Dr Ivan Meyer